Tianxia
The Celestial Empire of Tianxia, also identified by its ruling family, the Kaiming Dynasty, is a Celestial Empire ruled by the meritocratic bureaucracy under the auspices of the Emperor, Tib_dee_Max (known as Tiberius Decimus Maximus on the server forums). The faction takes significant inspiration from Imperial China, though it departs from this inspiration often, incorporating aspects from Japan and spiraling off into a more original fantasy entity of its own right at times. Tianxia is a warm and inclusive community, incorporating members of all backgrounds and playstyles, and although there is a significant roleplay aspect to the faction, members only have to participate as much as they like, accommodating both hardcore roleplayers and more casual players who prefer to focus on the gameplay. Tianxia is All Under Heaven, and its culture is rich and beautiful, cultivated in its sprawling metropolises and luxurious palaces. Three religions, venerated together in perfect harmony, bring serenity and happiness in their own ways to the pious, while the great Imperial Army defends the civilization and the people, bringing glory in the defense of their lands and ancestors. And presiding above all is the Ministries, dispensing just rule and the steady growth of the Empire under a system blessedly given to man by the divine Emerald Emperor, where every man or woman is given what they deserve by their merit. Tianxia is, for those who choose to commit everything to it, is more than a faction: it is a civilization. The Government System The Empire is under the supreme reign of the Celestial Emperor, the Son of Heaven, who's position is indisputable and permanent. However, real power lies with his Prime Minister, who functions as the Faction Leader and carries out the overall rule of the Empire. However, the Emperor's position is not without power: he can issue all-powerful Imperial Edicts, which dictate and change the rules and regulations within the Empire, as well as hearing petitions from the common people from the Throne room. The Prime Minister handles most foreign affairs but the Emperor can step in when needed, and accepts the most important foreign dignitaries. The Emperor chooses the first candidates in all the Ministries, but after the initial foundation all positions are chosen by the Prime Minister. He will handle inter-faction disputes, maintain the army and the security of the Empire, maintain the peace, stability, and order within the nation, and commission the creation of new settlements and government units. This means that the Prime Minister is in charge of claiming any new land for the Empire, and all requests for claiming of buildings or territory must go through him. From there power is delegated to the Five Ministries, which are the Ministry of the Treasury, Ministry of War, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Public Works, and the Ministry of Rites. A more unofficial board known as the Grand Council advises the Heads of State, consisting of the Emperor, the Prime Minister, the Five Ministers, and any who are considered worthy of advising the Emperor. Thus a total of three titles can be bestowed as honors upon faction members: a position in the ministries, a governor of one of the prefectures, and an adviser upon the Grand Council. Other, honorary titles can be given situationally for merit or displays of great valor. The Civil Examination The civil service examination is the most important tool of the Tiannese government: it is the pedestal upon which all other institutions stand, where all faction officers besides the Imperial Family are chosen, and even decides who attains the ultimate position as Faction Leader as the Prime Minister. Despite the importance of this institution, the examination itself is relatively simple: designed to identify natural leaders in the Empire's ranks, test their activity, their efficiency, their skill in architecture, and their ability to lead civil projects and military operations. In doing so, it also expands the Empire itself as new settlements and districts are built up in a test of organization and architectural prowess. After the first inaugural Civil Service Examination is concluded, all applicants seeking to take the examination must have a minimum of three Imperial Commendations (discussed later) to enter. The first step is taking a tally of all members interested in leadership positions in the bureaucracy. Once all the names are recorded, the faction is divided into groups of five. From there, each group is tasked in each building a settlement or city quarter. From this general assignment, lasting over a 24 hour period, each group will be judged on these criteria: the amount of precious materials and building materials mined, the quality of the architecture, the design of the village, the presence and the quality of fortifications, activity, and the ability of the leader applicants to coordinate and build team morale. Character traits, playstyle preferences, and other qualities will be noted as well when selecting members for the Five Ministries. Once the 24 hour period is completed all these factors will be noted and the Imperial Civil Service exam takers will be awarded Jinshi status during a public ceremony, followed by a celebration and feast. The Celestial Ministries The Ministry of War handles the planning and conduct of wars and campaigns against rival kingdoms, bandits, and barbarians. The Minister should be the most capable military leader in the faction, who can coordinate regimented units in maneuver and combat, coordinate supplies and reinforcements, and work with other factions in the field, as well as maintain a protracted campaign. In peace time he is expected to lead expeditions into the Adventure map, build up a stockpile of arms, armor, and gunpowder, and defend said expeditions against bandits. The Ministry of Rites handles ceremony and conduct of the members of the faction, ensuring a harmonious society, while giving reverence to both the Emperor and the Triple Faiths, maintaining temples and offering sacrifices. This is the most roleplay heavy role, but it has practical aspects as well, as it is in charge of the Imperial libraries and the enchantment of arms and armor, and thus is expected to work with the Minister of War to ensure the blessings of the Three Faiths for our soldiers in combat. This extends to a partnership with the Minister of Public Works, to increase the productivity of the workers and miners. Also is responsible for paperwork and record collection, as well as giving out scrolls of commendation, visit visas, accounting paperwork from the Treasury, as well as instructing newcomers and foreigners alike in Tiannese customs and culture. The Ministry of Justice assists the Prime Minister in internal disputes, acts as his personal adviser in foreign affairs, enforces the rules and regulations decreed by Imperial Edicts, and hands out rulings and punishments for those who fail to respect the rules and rituals of the state. The Minister of Rites thus regulates the ceremonies of the state, while the Minister of Justice enforces the law. Punishments may include imposed quotas for the requisition of goods, mandatory service in the expeditions, executions, and exile, depending on the severity of the offense. In addition, he is expected to assist the Minister of War in the quelling of bandits and vandals in the Empire. The Ministry of Public Works is one of the most important, handling the construction of buildings, the planning of settlements, and the laying of infrastructure to connect the cities and towns of the Empire. In addition the Ministry handles the acquisition of food, forestry, and mining for building materials, as well as supplying valuable materials to the Temples and Treasury. It is to consult with the Minister of War in the construction of fortifications, and is subject to oversight by the Emperor in the construction of major settlements and the Capital city. The Ministry of the Treasury handles the management of the finances of the Empire, and is expected to work closely with the Prime Minister in matters of claiming new territory for the faction. In addition, the Minister is expected to work with the Ministry of Public Works to ensure enough cash is being brought in to pay for the maintenance tax for the Empire's lands, and to collect all precious materials from the mines and Temples at the end of the day, as well as make note of the amount gained and used. Trade with other nations and the selling of precious materials to the central markets is also to be managed by the Minister of the Treasury. Imperial Commendations In cases of exceptional effort or performance by members of the Empire, for any range of feats or accomplishments, their efforts will be recognized by being given an Imperial Commendation by any Minister or member of the Imperial Family. These include valor in combat, recognition for piety and respect for rites and ritual, prodigious performance in mining, building, or farming, or for the cleansing of demons from the holy realm of Heaven. These will be presented in a book, transcribed with the name of the recipient and the issuer and the reason for commendation. Those who receive three Imperial Commendation will be considered part of the scholar-official class, and will be applicable for entrance into the civil examinations. The recipient can keep the imperial commendation, or turn it in to the Ministry of Rites to be filed for entry into the civil service examinations. Army Organization The Imperial Army, when mustered at full mobilization, will divide the faction into 5 man units called Divisions. These are the basic fighting units of the Tiannese Imperial Army. Each division will be led by a Captain, drawn from the standing army, and every two divisions led by a General. The full army will be led the Minister of War under the permanent rank of Field Marshal, and supervised by the Emperor who will assist in direction of overall strategy as the Field Marshal handles tactics and the winning of battles. The standing army will consist of the most willing, most experienced, and/or most skilled members in the nation at the art of war. As the faction grows, these will be formed into their own divisions in the organization of the Imperial Guard, with the rest of the faction led by government appointed commanders leading regular unit divisions. All members of the army will be protected by armor uniforms to denote their rank. These ranks and uniforms will be assigned as follows: Trooper: All iron armor. Captain: Iron body armor, golden helmet General: All diamond armor Field Marshal: Diamond body armor, golden helmet Emperor: All gold armor All armor is supplied by state factories as needed, and though individual soldiers and citizens are expected to maintain their given armor, they are permitted to forge and own personal weapons. Requests for enchantment of weapons will be processed through the Ministry of Rites, or more rarely, through the temples of the Three Faiths. Religion: The Three Faiths The Emerald Emperor: The religion is centered around the monolithic, all-powerful figure of the Emerald Emperor, regarded as the creator of the Middle Kingdom and the font of the soul of the nation. He is a god and a philosopher both, and his teachings are central to all life in the Celestial Empire, presided over beneath his benevolent gaze from Heaven. It is he who imbued the creative spark that spawned the Tiannese civilization into the people, and it is under his auspice that the Emperor was chosen to lead them as his mortal representative on the Earth. And it was his sage teachings which form the canon of Tiannese society and the divinely inspired government structure of the Empire, based upon the order that insures the tranquility in the court of Heaven. Main followers: The Ministers and members of the Celestial Bureaucracy especially, with required reverence by all members of Tiannese society. Tenets: Worship of the Emerald Emperor primarily, but also to a lesser extent the Imperial Ancestors. Tiannese folk religion, with its polytheistic Court of Heaven, having a host of class/occupation specific pantheons, has by this date been absorbed into the faith of the Emerald Emperor, as well as Ancestor Worship. Most prominent among these are the God of War, the Scholarly Pantheon, and the Sentinel of the Home, who reports the actions and piety of family members to the Emerald Emperor. There are however many more specific to almost every aspect of life and are too numerous to list. The Temple of the Emerald Emperor requests donations of Emeralds at its altar as an act of filial piety to the father of the Empire, and these sacrifices are the most valued of all amongst the Three Faiths. Accordance to ritual and respect for the Earthly Emperor, the state, and the family are also noted acts of faith. As such, an Ancestral Shrine is to be included in every household. At the temples and shrines food particular to the follower's occupation is sacrificed, ritually burned so that they may be sent up to Heaven and consumed as tribute by the Court of Heaven and the ancestors, though cakes are especially appreciated. The Golden Way: A counterpart to the teachings of the Emerald Emperor and its opposite, where the Emerald Emperor preaches order and tranquility in society, the Golden Way espouses the serenity inherent in nature. The followers of the Jindao can be typified as reclusive, but their views, their accomplishments, are as fundamentally important to the Tiannese as the worldly views of the Emperor. What can be seen as the Heavenly Court is merely a construct built by the gods upon the wider foundation of the esoteric, nebulous entity of Heaven, and it is this abstract cosmic power and the hidden order within it that the Jindao worship. Theirs is a faith of nature and respect for its power, that dwarfs the realm of men, and a religion of discovery, which seeks knowledge of the order of nature, and the endless quest of immortality, spawning many discoveries in alchemy and in enchantment. For it is from the inexhaustible power and benevolence of Heaven that enchantment derives. Main followers: Enchanters. Farmers who depend on the benevolence of Heaven for good weather, good harvests, and good health. Miners who depend on the bounty of nature to unearth fortunes from the mercifulness of the Earth's bosom. Tenets: Honored by donations of Gold ingots that are donated to the stores of the Jindao temples. Sheaves of wheat and blocks of stone are burned at the altar to give the bounties of nature, given by the good graces of Heaven, back to the celestial plane in thanks. A shrine to the Way is to be in every library in reverence to its benevolence as the source of energy in all enchantments. The Diamond Buddha: The third and newest of the faiths, it is divided into two Sects: The Iron, and the Diamond, Buddha, though the Diamond Buddha sect is the one espoused officially by the state. The Diamond Buddha is an ascended deity who bestows good luck on his followers, and is thus popular among all levels of society for any task or quest imaginable. The Diamond Buddha sect is relatively lenient and serves any and all lay people, while the Iron Buddha sect is more inclusive, drawn more to isolated monasteries and enduring more austerities than to the comfort of cities and settlements. While the other two Faiths require sacrifices which are then given to the central government, the Diamond Buddha accepts voluntary alms in return for the erasure of past acts of bad karma, which are then either donated to the government or used in a communal pool. The Iron Buddha sect accepts neither sacrifices nor alms, only using hard labor to build up merit, and thus shrines to the Iron Buddha are common at the entrance of mines so that the labor may contribute to their spiritual well-being as well as their service to the state. Iron Buddha followers are also forbidden from eating meat. Main followers: Popular amongst all levels of society, and invoked before any major project and journey. Tenets: For followers of the Diamond Buddha sect, the tenets are light, asking only the reading of the holy sutras and support of the monasteries through donations of diamonds. The Iron Buddha sect asks nothing in alms or sacrifices, but requires the complete obedience of the follower to the faith, demanding austerity in remote monasteries as they meditate and train their bodies. Rites, Rituals, and Syncretic Tenets of the Three Faiths When visiting a temple of any faith, it is required to remove your shoes, bow three times before the altar or statue, and light a block with fire. From there, jewel or gold donations are deposited in the Temple stores or the alms box, and the amount marked on a sign with the donator's name upon the wall to record the donation and thus be noted for your merit. Both the Golden Way and the Buddhist sects require monks and monasteries to tend to the temples, while the Emerald Emperor asks for no dedicated priests, with the Earthly Emperor acting as the high priest and others in other occupations taking on the role of priests as a secondary profession. Jindao monasteries are usually in the countryside, in places of particular natural beauty, though they maintain temples in the cities, while Diamond Buddhist monasteries are urban, with Iron Buddha monasteries being placed far off in mountains or remote areas. The Buddhists sects deal with death, creating mausoleums for the dead and holding mass ceremonies for the deceased from war or disasters, while the spirit is transferred to the more personal Ancestor Shrines. The Jindao and the Emerald Emperor deal with conduct in life, ritual, and reverence for the gods and Heaven. When entering the Adventure Map, prayers are made to the Emerald Emperor, for his favor when entering his realm of Heaven, and to the Jindao, to protect oneself from demons and the strength to destroy them. Though primarily a military run mission, forays into the Adventure Map are sponsored by the Jindao sect as demon-hunting missions, seeking to cleanse Heaven of demons and restore the natural balance of the planes. Holidays, Festivals, and Pilgrimages The Tiannese have a wealth of celebrations and holidays in their rich culture, and are a major source of social gatherings and national pride. As the inventors of gunpowder and fireworks, their holidays are loud and dazzling, as much for personal enjoyment as for their spiritual purpose of driving away bad spirits. These holidays include: Emerald Emperor's Ascension Day: January 2nd Tiannese New Year celebrations, officially lasting 15 days Qingming Festival: cleaning, expanding, and updating the tombs, celebrating the dead Duanwu (Dragon boat) Festival: celebrated with dragon boat races, composing poetry, and feasts of fish Moon Festival Buddha's Birthday In addition to the annual public holidays, pilgrimages sacred to the Three Faiths are practiced by individuals to holy sites, such as monasteries, famous temples, or monuments and completed with sacrifices to pay respects to Heaven, the gods, spirits, Buddhas, and Bodhisattvas. Giving the required sacrifice, usually a substantial tribute of specific metals or minerals, earns the pilgrim an immediate, one time Imperial Commendation.